Two vigilante operatives attached to Ndi Igbo Lion Watchman Security on Sunday narrowly escaped death in the hands of Nimo youths in Njikoka Local Government Area of Anambra State for allegedly preventing native doctors from entering the community to perform some sacrifices.

The two vigilante men, Chukwubuike Nwabueze and Okwudili Lazarus, who were allegedly beaten to a pulp, were said to have been lured into a trap by their assailants.

According to a source who spoke withNews Express, trouble started for the duo when they arrested a native doctor, simply identified as ‘Atakata Isiebue’, along Nimo/Abacha Road where the sacrifice was to be done.

The security operatives were said to be on their way to hand the suspect over to the Police when calls started coming to their phones intorrents asking them to release the suspect on self recognition, which they obliged.

“The suspect thanked them for releasing him and demanded for their cell phone numbers which the security operatives gave him.

“Hours later, the native doctor called them on phone and asked them where they were and they told him that they were on the bike passing through the same road where he was arrested on surveillance and he urged them to wait for him at an agreed spot, not knowing that it was a pretence.

“He told them it was to thank them for releasing him and they in turn stopped at the spot and waited for the native doctor,” the source said.

It was gathered that things took another dimension when two men arrived at the spot and told the vigilante men that their master (native doctor) told them to come and bring them to his house for proper entertainment.

On arrival, they were welcomed by their host who provided them with some drinks and urged them to hang on that he would join them shortly.

The source further said: “He returned back with scores of youths believed to be cultists who pounced on the vigilante men and gave them the beating of their life.

“They were hit with their security weapons that included machete, axe, clubs and butts of gun which made them to slump and pass out.”

However, in a bid to exonerate themselves, the youths allegedly labelled the security operatives cultists and took them to the Special Anti-Cultism Squad (SPACS) of the State Police Command at Enugwu Ukwu, Njikoka Local Government Area of the state.

Confirming the incident, the SPACS Commander, Mr. Christopher Bassey said the ugly incident revolved around communal crisis between Nimo and Abacha communities, not cultism as they claimed.

He revealed that the victims, on being brought to the station, were sent to the hospital for treatment saying: “I don’t want to be involved in community crisis.”

Reacting to the incident, the leader of the security outfit, Uche Rogers hinted that both communities agreed that nobody would offer sacrifice along the said road and wondered why the native doctor should go contrary to the law.